Conventionally, in the image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic type, a fixing device for fixing the toner image, formed on a recording material (sheet), at a nip between two fixing members (first and second rotatable fixing members) is mounted.
In such a fixing device, with repetition of a fixing process, the fixing member is abraded by an edge portion (both end portions with respect to a direction perpendicular to a recording material feeding direction) of the recording material, so that a surface property thereof has a tendency that the surface property is deteriorated compared with the surface property in another region. Specifically, there is a tendency that a surface of the fixing member in a region contacting the edge portion of the recording material is roughened. When the surface property of such a fixing member becomes non-uniform, the surface property appears on a fixed image, so that there is a liability that glossiness of an image is not uniform.
Therefore, in a fixing device described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2008-040363, a roughening roller (rotatable rubbing member) for rubbing the surface of the fixing member is provided. Specifically, the fixing member is rubbed with the roughening roller, whereby a deteriorated state (surface roughness) of a portion thereof contacting the edge portion of the recording material is made inconspicuous compared with another portion.
According to study by the present inventor, it was found that during a rubbing process, shavings (cuttings) by the roughening roller stagnate between the roughening roller and the fixing member and rubbing power lowers due to the stagnation of the shavings. When such a situation generates, it becomes difficult to efficiently restore the surface property of the fixing member, so that there is room for improvement.